Brussels, 01/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - On the fringe of the European Council of Nice next week, several events have been organised by different organisations of civil society to stress the need to have citizens participate in European construction.
The International European Movement, the Platform of European NGOs of the social sector, the European Trade Union Confederation and the Permanent Forum of Civil Society are organising a seminar on 6 and 7 December on: - Europe of solidarity; - fundamental rights; - Europe in the world; - enlargement; - democracy and the constitution. A thousand participants are expected at this "Crossroads for a democratic and united Europe". The "Nice 2000" Committee, which brings together the Union of European Federalists, the Young European Federalists, NGOs and members of the EP's "European Constitution" Intergroup, is organising a demonstration in favour of a European Constitution on 7 December. 5 to 6,000 people, including many Italian mayors and other local officials are expected. The European Trade Union Confederation is organising another demonstration in which some 60,000 workers should take part.
Jose Maria Gil-Robles (European Movement), Emilio Gabaglio (ETUC), Virgilio Dastoli (Permanent Forum of Civil Society), Giampiero Alhadeff (Platform of NGOs) and Bruno Boissiere (UEF) explained that these events demonstrated the same determination to remind the heads of state and government of the need to take the necessary decisions for Europe to be able to act and speak as one in the world, putting to the fore the values of peace, democracy and solidarity. Mr. Boissiere stressed that these initiatives had also to reach the citizens, showing them that civil society could galvanize itself. "One should never underestimate the strength of civil society", said Mr. Dastoli, recalling the major improvements that had been made to the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights thanks to NGOs moving into gear. Mr.Gil-Robles qualified as "hood-winking" the fact of having made a Convention work on a draft Charter only finally to refuse to have any reference made to it in Article 6 of the treaty, and considered that "the result of the Summit will be relatively meagre and will have to be wrapped up well", which leads one to hope that in Nice, they will succeed in adopting a timetable for the Charter and other large projects.